oxidation number
The definitions used in this glossary of terminology either have been provided by the authors of the articles, or have been extracted wholly or in part, or paraphrased from the following sources: The American Medical Association Encyclopedia of Medicine, Charles B. Clayman, MD, Medical Editor, Random House, New York, 1989; Biotechnology from A to Z, 2d Edition, William Bains, Oxford University Press, New York, New York, 2002; A Dictionary of Genetics, 6th Edition, Robert C. King and William D. Stansfield, Oxford University Press, New York, New York, 2002; Dorland's Illustrated Medical Dictionary, 29th and 30th Editions, W. B. Saunders Company, Philadelphia, 2000, 2003; Genes VII, Benjamin Lewin, Oxford University Press, New York, New York, 2000; The Gale Encyclopedia of Genetic Disorders, Volumes I and II, Stacey L. Blachford, Ed., Thomson Learning, New York, New York, 2002; The Merriam-Webster Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, Inc., Springfield, Massachusetts, 1997; Molecular Biology of the Cell, 3rd Edition, Bruce Alberts, et al., Garland Publishing, 1994; The Random House Dictionary of the English Language, Unabridged Edition, 1966; Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary, 1991.
DEFINITION:
- oxidation number
-
A number assigned to each atom in a molecule or ion that represents the number of electrons theoretically gained (positive oxidation numbers) or lost (negative numbers) in converting the atom to the elemental form. Oxidation numbers are assigned according to the following rules. The oxidation number of atoms in an elemental form is zero, and the oxidation number of a monatomic ion equals the ionic charge. Group I and Group II metals always have oxidation numbers of +1 and +2, respectively. Fluorine always has an oxidation number of -1; oxygen always of -2, except in peroxides and superoxides (where it is -1) and in compounds containing O--F bonds. Hydrogen always has an oxidation number of +1, except in metal hydrides (where it is -1). Oxidation numbers are assigned to other atoms so that the sum for all atoms in a neutral compound equals zero and the sum for all atoms in a polyatomic ion equals the ionic charge. Called also "oxidation state."
Used in 3 Term definitions
Used in 3 Term definitions